Excavating apparatus.



K. R. SLOCUM.

EXCAVATING APPARATUS.

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APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1 9l8.

Patented Nov. 5, 1918,

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PATEN FFIGE.

EL R. SLQCUM, OF DRYBRANCH, GEORGIA.

EXCAVATING APPARATUS.

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cordance with the specific function and operation of the shovel or'scoop. The main object of the invention is to render excavators or excavating apparatus of this class more easily and positively controllable as to digginger filling, conveying and dumping operations thereof at points distant from a power source solelyby manipulation ofthe power elements and without utilizing means on the elevated cable or track or check devices located adjacent to the cable or track by embodying within the carrier and shovel or scoop organization devices directly actuated as to the performance of their several functions, as for instance 1n retaining the load during travel and reversal'of movement after stoppage of the shovel or scoop for dumping the load from the power source and whereby the shovel or scoop may be lowered or raised'at any point along the line of the cable or track and also relieved of its load by dumping at any point desired along the length of the cable or track. A further object of the invention is to use a single cable as a track and readily operable from a source of power to slackcn or lower the same and elevate it as may be necessary, and

a carrier movable on said track and provided with a shovelor scoop connected by a draft cable to the power source controlling alsothe track cable to quickly and regularly manipulate the carrier and shovel as a whole, particularly during digging, filling or loading and dumping operations of the shovel solely from the power source and to eifect the several operations specified at any point or distance along the line of the track cable as may be found desirable.

A structure or organization embodying features of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be fully hereinafter de Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 17, 1918.

of which the following is a specifica stop Patented Nov... 5, 1918.

Serial No. 24:0,4-74. I

scribed to demonstrate one practical application of the invention, and in the drawings:

Figure l is a diagrammatic sectional elevation of the excavating apparatus embodying the features of the invention and showing a complete installation, a complete cycle pf operation being shown in full and dotted mes.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation ofthe power source showing the controlling means thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the carrier and shovel or scoop showing parts in different positions in dotted lines.

Fig. 4- is an elevation looking toward the side of the carrier opposite that shown by Fig. 3 and also illustrating a part of the shovel or scoop.

Fig. 5 is a' top plan view of the carrier.

ig. 6 is a transverse vertical section taken in the plane of the line 6-6, Fig. 3. r Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the carrier and shovel or scoop, a part of the track cable and the operating cables for the shovel and carrier and between the latter and the carrier, the carrier being broken away and parts removed therefrom. y

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional elevation particularly illustrating the pawls and ratchets cooperating with the trip per head and showing the pawls centrifugally released from the ratchet which occurs: during down grade movement of the carrier and shovel.

Fig. 9 is a sectional side elevation ofthe carrier showing the pawls and ratchets of thetrlpper head in working position or the pawls engaging the ratchet, which occurs during the filling operation ofthe shovel and also during the dumping operation of the latter.

Fig. 10 is a transverse vertical section usual mechanical connections operated by an engine or motor, the drum 7 having a brake device, for instance a strap brake 9 with a controlling foot lever 10 and the drum 8 provided with a strap brake 11 with a con for ad.

ice

trolling-foot lever 12, the foot levers l0 and 12 being operated to check the movement of the drums when desired or found necessary. Adjacent to the source ofv power is an A- frame 13 which may be of any approved type and embodying an upper sheave 14, a block 15 adjacent to the sheave, and a cable blockil6 having atrack cable 17 connected thereto. From the drum 8 a cable 18 passes upwardly over the sheave 14 and through the block 16 and then through the block 15 and again forwardly through the said block 16, and by means of this arrangement of the cable 18 the necessary tautness and slack of the cable 17 may be readily controlled. The cable 17 in the present instance is elevated by a mast 19 to increase the height of the dump. The track cable 17 inclines from 1 the top ofthe A-frame 13 downwardly to the mast 19, the latter mast being located a suitable distance from the power source and A-frame, preferably about five hundred feet. The exact distance, however, of location of the mast 19 from the A-frame' and power source is not essential and may be varied. The drum 7 is engaged by a draft cable 20 which runs over a sheave 21 in the lower portion of the A-frame, said draft cable being connected to the excavating means per se aswill be hereinafter explained.

The essential feature of the invention comprises a carrier 22 and a shovel or scoop 23. As clearly shown by Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, the carrier 22 comprises opposite sheet metal side plates 24 suitably shaped and of such width as to provide proper housings and bearings for the parts carried thereby and having'mountedin the upper portions of the front and rear extremities thereof spindles 01- shafts 25 and 26 which are rotatable in suitable bearings and respectively carry track sheaves 27 and 28 held in engagement with th track cable 17 which passes between the ,side plates 24 of the carrier, as clearly shown by Fig.6. The side plates 24 will be suitafblybraced or connected at the bottom as at 29, and at the top as at 30. Depending from the side plates 24 adjacent to the track sheaves 27 are hangers 31 which are laterally i expanded fromthe carrier, as shown in Fig. 6, and pivoted or hinged at their lower ends between lugs or ears 32 projecting from the rearside 33 of the shovel or scoop 23. The

. lower ends of the hangers 31 are attached to the. rear end of the shovel or scoop below the longitudinal center of the latter so as to effect a practical dumping operation of the shovel or to permit the same to assume such angle when released that the contents there- .60

of will freely fall therefrom. On the spin dle .or shaft 26 carrying the track sheave 28 a trippeiflhead 34is mounted adjacent to one of-thesideplates 24 and comprises a manger) which is keyed to said'shaft and has afplurality of pawls or dogs 36 pivotally 39 having a hub 40, said disk being loose for rotation and provided with a segmental projection 41 which forms a striker for a purpose which will be presently explained. Sccured to the disk 39 and located within the casing 35 for cooperation with the pawls or dogs 36 is a ratchet 42. From the foregoing it will be seen that a clutch organization is provided by the casing 35 keyed to the shaft 26 and carrying the pawls or dogs 36 and the ratchet 42 secured to the disk 39 carrying the segmental striker projection 41 and whereby the said disk 39 and striker projection may be operated at intervals or when the carrier is moving. in one direction. The casing 35 with the pawls or dogs 36 and the disk 39 with the segmental striker projection 41 and ratchet 42 will be hereinafter termed concretely a striker head having a rotation in part at intervals to perform a releasing operation which will be presently described. At an intermediate point the side plates 24 have opposite or transversely alined bearings 43 and therein a shaft 44 is mounted to rotate. The shaft 44 projects outwardly beyond the bearings 43, as shown by Fig. 6, and on one end thereof is keyed a hub 45 of a disk 45 adjustably supporting a control ratchet 45, and on the opposite extremity of this shaft is a hub 46 with a disk or cast ing 47, as shown by Fig. 11, the said disk or casting 47 being provided with a series of circumferential holes 48 designed on the plan of a double vernier gage for ease in making adjustment of a cam 49 which is similarly provided with openings 50 to register with the openings 48, this cam being secured to the disk in its adjusted position by means of suitable fastenings 51, as clearly shown by Fig. 4. On the shaft 44 between the side plates 24 two friction sheaves 52 and 53 are keyed so that all of the parts carried by the shaft may move together or have an equal rotation when the control ratchet 45 is released. The control ratchet 45 is normally engaged by a lock, generally indicated by 54, and consisting of a bolt or latch 55 mounted in suitable guides 56 secured to the side plate 24 adjacent to the control ratchet 45; and surrounding this bolt or latch 55 between the guides 56 is a spring 57 which tends to maintain the nose or free end 58 0f the bolt or latch 55 in locking engagement with the teeth of the control ratchet 45, as shown by Fig. 3. A cable 59 continues forwardly from the bolt or latch 55 and is secured to an upright release lever 60 attached at its lower end to a rock shaft 61 mounted in suitable bearings and extending transversely across the carrier and projecting outwardly beyond theside plates 2d," The upright releaselever is held in near contact with the casing 35 of the striker head 34: and is shifted forwardly by the segmental striking projection 4],. of the striker head to release the control ratchet 4:5 by withdrawing the bolt or latch 55from engagement with the teeth thereof. On the end of the shaft 61 opposite that carrying the release lever 60, as shown by Fig. his a release crank 62, and on the same side of the carrier the. lower end of a cam lever 63 is fulcrumed and has its upper end movable in a slotted cam leveri bracket 64. Between the release crank 62 and cam lever 63 is a pitman rod 65, and when these parts are in nor.-

mal position they will appear as showhby Fig. 4 in full lines, the release crank being essentially perpendicular andthe cam lever (53inclined toward and engaging the con centric portion 66 of the cam 4.9. l

The shovel or scoop 23 is similar to the nsnal devices of this type and .is provided with a closed back and an open front end as well as a closed bottoimthe bottom at the front end of theshovel or scoop being formed as a cutting'edge and provided with a set of teeth 67. Above thebottom a suitable distance, draft plates 68 are secured to opposite sides of the shovel 0r scoop, and over the front extremity extends a bail 69se cnrely fastened to theopposite sides of the shovel, as clearly shown by Figs. 3 andj7.

This bail is suitably braced and stifienedand has top centering projections 69. The draft cable 20 is connected by a suitablecoupling eye or other device 7 0 to a draft yoke 71 comprising a diverged cable 72 adjustably secured to the draft plates68 and engaged by a spreader or yoke bar 7 3. Secured to a center attachment 69 of the bail 69 is a flexible dumping control means consisting of a cable 74: which passes upwardly to, over, and

downwardlyaround the friction sheave 52,

and from the coupling an actuatlng cable 75'passes to the lower portion and partially over the friction sheave 53 so that the cables 74: and 7 5 engagefthelr respective frlctlon sheaves in reverse positions and whereby when the one unwinds from its friction sheave it will wind the other on the reniaining friction sheave.

ment and easy action of thecables 74 and 7 5, grooved direction sheaves 76 and 7 7 are mounted between the lower forward portions of the side plates 24 of the carrier on a shaft 7 8 for respective engagement by the said cables 74 and 75. These direction sheaves or pulleys 7 6 and77 also operate, to holdthc cab-les7 tand 75 inproper operating position relatively to the friction sheaves 52 and 53,-

In the operation oftheekcavator oreX- the shovelor scoop 23,;

cai 'a-ting apparatus together with thecarrier 22, is lowered by meats To facilitate the moveslackening the cable 17 by suitable operation of the rear drum 8 of the power mechanism until theshovel rests upon the ground, sufficient slack'being given to the cable 17 to permit the shovel to remain in contact with 70 the ground. The rear drun1,8 is then checlred by its brake means as explained and the front or draftdrum 7 released and operated to Wind the draft cable 20 thereon, thus drawing the shovel with the carrier for wardly. and causing the front end of the shovel to dig into the ground and deposit a load therein as shown at A by full lines in Fig. 1. During this forward movement of the shovel in loading, the track sheave 28 necessarily rotates on the cable 17 in a direc tion to cause the tripper head 34: to operate or rotate therewith and bring the segmental tripper projection 41 into engagement with the release lever 60, said release lever being thrown forwardly and returned to its initial position because, the segmental tripper projection elects as a weighted head and falls downwardly as soon aspassing the center of contact with the release lever 60,hav-

ment specified, but no release of the shovel control ratchet will be effected in view of the fact that the shovel is resting on the ground surface or its teeth in the act of digging which necessitates a strain on draft cable 20, part of which is transmitted to actuating cable 75 which through the sheave mechanism holds the shovel in a state of control, which means that look 54 is in practically constant engagement with control ratchet 4.5. When the shovel is filled the front drum 7 will be checked in its movement and immediately thereafter the slack of the track cable will be taken up by operating the rear drum 8, and by continued winding of the track cable on the latter drum the carrier 22 with loaded shovel 23 will be elevated to the height desired and there held by applying the brake mechanism of the back drum as no shown at B in. dotted lines by Fig. 1. During the time that track cable 17 is being elevated, the front drum 7 is released so that the draft cable 20.1nay loosely pay off there from in view of the fact that the cable 17 is .115 at an inclination, and the carrier with loaded shovel will immediately start to. gravitate or. move. This gravitation or movement of the carrier and shovel over track cable 17 is permitted to continue until the point is reached where it. is desired to dump the loaded shovel, and when such point is reached the drum 7 is again checked in its movement and said .latterdrum given a winding operation from the power source, shown at C bydottedlines in Fig. 1. It will be understood that when the carrier and shovel are running down the track cable, that, due to j centrifugal force, the heads of the pawls or ensued through the cable 74 by reason of said pawls or dogs remaining inthis posi-. tion until the carrier and shovel come to nearly a stop and then the said pawls or dogs engage the ratchet 42 running in the which brings segmental projection 41 into engagement with release lever 60 which throws said release lever forward and pulls lock 54 from the control ratchet 45 andthe shovel starts to dump. Before the projection 41 is entirely released from lever 60 the cam 49 will have been turned in such forward position as tobring the cam proj ection thereof in full engagement with the cam lever 63 owing to the fact that a downward .pull on the friction sheave 52 will have the shovel falling to dump, and, as a consequence, the cam lever 63 will be pushed forwardly, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4, and, likewise, the release crank 62, a distance sufficient to hold the release lever 60 clear of the projection 41 of the tripper head 34, thereby also holding the nose or end 58 of the bolt or latch of the lock 54 clear of control ratchet 45 which is now being rotated very rapidly, due to the shovel falling to dump. The shovel will drop to a position nearly perpendicular and the load therein will be discharged when the critical angle is reached. When the shovel falls to the position of dump, for instance, shown by Fig. 7, the cable 74 will have unwound from its friction sheave 52 and at the same time the cable 75 would have been wound on its friction sheave 53. It will be understood that the dumping of the shovel takes place almost immediately at start of return flight, the performance taking place regardless of speed or load. The only stop or intermittent flight is at that time when the shovel and carrier are reversed in their motion.

From the foregoing it will'be seen that the carrier and shovel are controlled in their flight relatively to the track cable when mov ing' to a point of dumping by the brake mechanism in connection with the front drum, after the shovel is dumped the carrier and shovel are brought back to the point of loading or digging. When the shovel or carrier are drawn at an upward inclination over the track cable 17, the shovel hangs downwardly at an angle depending upon the per cent. of grade of track cable 17, and in this position every part of the carrier mechanism is in a state of release, with the exception of the tripper head, which rotates independently and free of contact with relation to the release lever by reason of the fact that the cam 49 is still holding the release lever through the connection explained so far forward as to clear the projection 41 of the tripper head. The shovel and carrier are then again lowered to the ground surface, the teeth end of the shovel striking the ground first, and on continued lowering the shovel comes to its correct loading position through the hinge connection on the back of'the shovel. As soon as the teeth of the shovel strike the ground and the shovel commences to close, the weight of the pullbar connection plus the idle weight of the pull-line causes cable 75 to unwind from and at the same time rotate its friction sheave 53 and simultaneously rotate the friction sheave 52 in the same direction to effect a winding of the cable 74 on the friction sheave 52 which releases the cam mechanism so that the control ratchet 45 will be in position for instant engagement by the lock when the shovel will have again become loaded.

What is claimed is:

1. An excavating apparatus having a power source embodying drums with controlling means, a track cable operatively associated with one of the drums, a carrier with a shovel movably held thereby and mounted on the track cable, and a draft cable operatively associated with the remaining drum and connected to the shovel and carrier, the carrier having mechanism to hold the shovel elevated during travel independently of the draft cable and operable by the draft cable to release and dump the shovel.

2. An excavating apparatus having a power source mechanism, a track cable operatively associated with the power source mechanism, a draft cable also associated with the power source, and a carrier movably engaging the track cable and provided with a shovel having a dumping association therewith, the draft cable being connected to the shovel and carrier and the latter provided with mechanism to hold the shovel elevated during travel independently of the draft cable and operable through the draft cable and a part of the power source mech- 115 anism to dump the shovel at any point desired along the track cable.

3. An excavating apparatus comprising a. power mechanism and track and draft cables movably associated with parts of the sired along the track cable,

bill

raeaeea 4. An excavating apparatus comprising power mechanism, a track cable engaging a part of' thepower mechanism and having raising and lowering movements imparted thereto by the saidmechanism, a draft cable also associated with the power mechanism, and a carrier provided with a shovel movably held thereby, the carrier being mounted to gravitate on the track cable and having mechanism for holding the shovel elevated independently of the draft cable and operable to release and dump the shovel, the release mechanism and the shovel having the draft cable connected thereto and controlled solely for the power mechanism to dump the shovel at any point along the track cable.

5. An excavating apparatus comprising a slack track cable having rising and falling movements imparted thereto, power mechanism with which the track cable cotiperates, a dumping shovel provided with means gravitatingly mounted on the slack track cable, a draft cable connected to the shovel, and release mechanism to hold the shovel elevated independently of the draft cable and operable from the power mechanism through the medium of the draft cable to dump the shovel at any point along the length of the track cable.

6. An excavating apparatus comprising power mechanism, slack track and draft cables associated with said mechanism, and a shovel and carrier mounted to gravitatingly move on the track cable and connected to the draft cable, the carrier and the power mechanism having cooperating mechanisms conjointly operative to release and dump the shovel by actuation from the power mechanism and at any point along the length of the track cable, the mechanism of the carrier operating to hold the shovel elevated independently of the draft cable.

7. An excavating apparatus embodying power mechanism with cable drums, a track cable having supports and operable in connection with one of said drums to slacken and lower and raise the same, a carrier and shovel mounted to gravitatingly move over said track cable, and a draft cable operatively connected to the remaining drum and to the shovel and carrier, the carrier having means for holding the shovel elevated "independently of the draft cable and operative by the draft cable and the drum to which the draft cable is connected for controlling the dumping operation of the shovel at any point along the length of the track cable from the power mechanism.

8. An excavating apparatus having power mechanism embodying drums with controlling means, a track cable operatively associated with one of the drums, a draft cable operatively associated with the remaining drum, and a carrier with a shovel movably held thereby and to which the draft cable is connected, the carrier being provided with automatically operative mechanism to hold the shovel elevated independently of the draft cable and including locking means which is released by the draft cable and controlled from the power mechanism to dump the shovel at any point along the length of the track cable.

9. ln an excavating apparatus, a track cable, a draft cable, power mechanism with which said cables are associated, a carrier having sheaves to engage the track cable, a tripper head movably associated with the forward sheave, a controlratchet having friction sheaves operable therewith, a loclr for the control ratchet, release mechanism primarily operated by the tripper head to disengage the control ratchet, secondarily operating final release means to hold the lock free of the control ratchet, and a shovel movably connected to the carrier and hav ing cables engaging thefriction disks associated with the control ratchet, the draft cable being attached to the shovel and a part of the release mechanism.

10. In an excavating apparatus, power mechanism, a slack track cable and a draft cable operatively associated with the power mechanism, a carrier provided with track sheaves engaging the track cable, one of the sheaves having an automatically operating tripper head rotatable with its sheave when the carrier is moved in a forward direction, a control ratchet, a lock for the control ratchet, release means connected to the lock and engageable by the tripper head, final release means connected to the control ratchet and operating to hold the lock in disengaged position relatively to said ratchet to permit the tripper head to run free, a shovel movably connected to the carrier, and means between the shovel and the control ratchet for permitting the shovel to be dumped automatically and to be held in load-carrying position relatively to the carrier, the draft cable being connected to the shovel and carrier.

11. An excavating apparatus comprising a rising and falling track cable, power mechanism with which the track cable cooperates, and excavating means mounted to have a gravitating movement on the track cable and including a draft cable, a shovel and devices for holding the shovel elevated independently of the draft stress on the said draft cable and connected to a part of the power mechanism for releasing the shovel and dumping the same at any point along the track cable from the power mechanism.

12. An excavating apparatus comprising a track cable, an excavating means including a shovel and movable on the track cable and also raised and lowered by the latter, power mechanism with which the track cable cooperates, and connected devices in part emllltl bodied in the powermechanism and in part comprised 1n the excavating means and responsively operative by the actuation ot the part of the power mechanism to dump the 18. An excavating apparatus comprising a rising and falling track cable, power mechanism with which the track cable cooperates, and excavating means mounted to have a gravitating movement on the track cable and embodying a shovel and carrier, the latter having devices for retaining the shovel elevated during travel independently of the power mechanism and pulling stress on the carrier and shovel and having a reversal of movement after a stoppage of the carrier and shovel controlled from the power mechanism to dump the shovel and whereby the latter with the carrier may be lowered or raised at any point along the line of the track cable.

14. An excavating apparatus comprising a rising and falling track cable, power mechanism with which the track cable cooperates, and exeavating'means mounted to have a gravitating movement on the track cable and including a carrier and shovel, the carrier being provided with mechanism for holding the shovel elevated and locked against dumping movement independently or any pulling stress exerted thereon from the power mechanism and also operable from the latter mechanism for unlocking and releasing the shovel at any point desired along the track cable.

15. An excavating apparatus comprising a rising and falling track cable, power mechanism with which the track cable cooperates, and excavating means mounted to have a gravitating movement on the track cable and including a shovel and carrier, the carrier also having adjustable means for locking the shovel in elevated position independently of pulling stress from the power mechanism and also operable from the latter mechanism for unlocking and releasing the shovel at any point desired along the track cable.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

KARL R. SLOCUM. \Vitnesses:

JOHN M. ToiwrME, CHARLES M. BIRFIULLIB.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patentn, Washington, D. G. 

